Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB353 Latest Draft

Bill / Comm Sub Version Filed 04/12/2021

                            87R17073 MEW-D
 By: Dutton H.B. No. 353
 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 353:
 By:  Dutton C.S.H.B. No. 353


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the consideration of certain student differentials
 based on racial and ethnic groups and sex under the public school
 accountability system.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 39.053, Education Code, is amended by
 amending Subsections (c) and (e) and adding Subsections (c-5) and
 (i-1) to read as follows:
 (c)  School districts and campuses must be evaluated based on
 three domains of indicators of achievement adopted under this
 section that include:
 (1)  in the student achievement domain, indicators of
 student achievement that must include:
 (A)  for evaluating the performance of districts
 and campuses generally:
 (i)  an indicator that accounts for the
 results of assessment instruments required under Sections
 39.023(a), (c), and (l), as applicable for the district and campus,
 including the results of assessment instruments required for
 graduation retaken by a student, aggregated across grade levels by
 subject area, including:
 (a)  for the performance standard
 determined by the commissioner under Section 39.0241(a), the
 percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the
 assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject
 area; and
 (b)  for the college readiness
 performance standard as determined under Section 39.0241, the
 percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the
 assessment instruments, aggregated across grade levels by subject
 area; and
 (ii)  an indicator that accounts for the
 results of assessment instruments required under Section
 39.023(b), as applicable for the district and campus, including the
 percentage of students who performed satisfactorily on the
 assessment instruments, as determined by the performance standard
 adopted by the agency, aggregated across grade levels by subject
 area; and
 (B)  for evaluating the performance of high school
 campuses and districts that include high school campuses,
 indicators that account for:
 (i)  students who satisfy the Texas Success
 Initiative (TSI) college readiness benchmarks prescribed by the
 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board under Section 51.334 on
 an assessment instrument in reading or mathematics designated by
 the coordinating board under that section;
 (ii)  students who satisfy relevant
 performance standards on advanced placement tests or similar
 assessments;
 (iii)  students who earn dual course credits
 in the dual credit courses;
 (iv)  students who enlist in the armed
 forces of the United States;
 (v)  students who earn industry
 certifications;
 (vi)  students admitted into postsecondary
 industry certification programs that require as a prerequisite for
 entrance successful performance at the secondary level;
 (vii)  students whose successful completion
 of a course or courses under Section 28.014 indicates the student's
 preparation to enroll and succeed, without remediation, in an
 entry-level general education course for a baccalaureate degree or
 associate degree;
 (viii)  students who successfully met
 standards on a composite of indicators that through research
 indicates the student's preparation to enroll and succeed, without
 remediation, in an entry-level general education course for a
 baccalaureate degree or associate degree;
 (ix)  high school graduation rates, computed
 in accordance with standards and definitions adopted in compliance
 with the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. Section 6301 et seq.)
 subject to the exclusions provided by Subsections (g), (g-1),
 (g-2), [and] (g-3), and (g-4);
 (x)  students who successfully completed an
 OnRamps dual enrollment course;
 (xi)  students who successfully completed a
 practicum or internship approved by the State Board of Education;
 and
 (xii)  students who are awarded an associate
 degree;
 (2)  in the school progress domain, indicators for
 effectiveness in promoting student learning, which must include:
 (A)  for assessment instruments, including
 assessment instruments under Subdivisions (1)(A)(i) and (ii), the
 percentage of students who met the standard for improvement, as
 determined by the commissioner; and
 (B)  for evaluating relative performance, the
 performance of districts and campuses compared to similar districts
 or campuses; and
 (3)  in the closing the gaps domain, the use of
 disaggregated data to demonstrate the differentials among
 students:
 (A)  from different:
 (i)  racial and ethnic groups, including
 students who are African American, Hispanic, white, American
 Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and two or more races:
 (a)  considered as a whole; and
 (b)  disaggregated by sex; and
 (ii)  socioeconomic backgrounds;[,] and
 (B)  based on other relevant factors not described
 by Paragraph (A), including:
 (i) [(A)]  students formerly receiving
 special education services;
 (ii) [(B)]  students continuously enrolled;
 and
 (iii) [(C)]  students who are mobile.
 (c-5)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c)(3)(A)(i), if there is
 a conflict between that subsection and a federal law or regulation
 and the commissioner is unable to obtain the necessary waiver from
 the conflicting federal law or regulation, information reported
 under that subsection may only be used by the agency for purposes of
 a performance-based monitoring analysis system or results-driven
 accountability system adopted or implemented by the agency.
 (e)  For purposes of Subsection (c)(3)(B)(i) [(c)(3)(A)], a
 student formerly receiving special education services means a
 student whose enrollment information:
 (1)  for the preceding school year, as reported through
 the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS),
 indicates the student was enrolled at the campus and was
 participating in a special education program; and
 (2)  for the current school year, as reported through
 the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and as
 reported on assessment instruments administered to the student
 under Section 39.023, indicates the student is enrolled at the
 campus and is not participating in a special education program.
 (i-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c)(3)(A)(i)(b),
 information reported under that sub-subparagraph may not be used by
 the agency for accountability purposes before the accountability
 ratings assigned for the 2024-2025 school year. This subsection
 expires September 1, 2025.
 SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect on any date not later
 than September 1, 2023, on which the commissioner of education:
 (1)  obtains any necessary waiver from the application
 of federal law or regulation conflicting with Section 39.053,
 Education Code, as amended by this Act; or
 (2)  receives written notification from the United
 States Department of Education that a waiver is not required.
 (b)  This Act applies beginning with the first school year
 that begins after the date on which this Act takes effect under
 Subsection (a) of this section.
 (c)  If the commissioner of education obtains any necessary
 waiver or receives written notification as described by Subsection
 (a) of this section, the commissioner shall certify that the
 commissioner has obtained the waiver or received notification that
 a waiver is not required, as applicable, and shall publish notice of
 that fact in the Texas Register as soon as practicable after
 obtaining the waiver or receiving notification.